Thread: Help identify this hone and how can I use it?

I purchased two barber hones from a collector that did not use them. One is a barber hone and comes with instructions the other is unidentified. It is 2 X 8 X 1/2 inches. It does not absorb water.Is there somebody in the Denver area of Colorado that might be able to identify it? What can I use it for? Top Side viewBottomedgeGrain on bottom
Using my finger tip and finger nail I estimate the grit to be between 8K and 12K.

If possible more pictures would be very helpful. All four sides of each stone.

The top one looks more like a natural something but can't tell for sure - side, end, and bottom images of that one would help. The size/shape is all wrong for a typical synthetic barber hone though the odd ones apparently exist.

Cheers, Steve

Yep. more pictures of that top one and a description of how it feels, etc would be helpful. Don't know if anyone will be able to ID it with just that image, especially since it doesn't look much like a typical "barber hone"

If your confident of your honing, try finishing a beater razor on it. That should pretty much tell you how you can use it. We will probably be having a Denver meet in early 2018. Keep an eye out here; Get Togethers and Meetings

Bluesman7 I will try that next week and post results.

Today I shaved with two Shumate razors that had been honed on a 1K, 3K and 8K then stropped. Both razors seemed to shave about the same. I then took 10 X strokes on a 12K stone and 10 strokes on the unknown stone. Tomorrow I will shave again to compare the razors. The razor honed on the 12K does appear to have a more polished bevel.

The razors, the Gold flecked scales are on a Shumate 222, the faux tortoise shell scales are on a Shumate Profession for Barbers. The Shumate 222 was finished on the 12K.

Finished my shave today and the Shumate 222 finished with the 12K stone gave a smoother shave. It appears the mystery hone is less than 12K.